Speaking on the 15th day of the federal government shutdown, Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said the port remains fully operational.
Seroka, during his monthly online news conference, however, added on Wednesday, Oct. 15, that there could be ripple effects to come, while the rapidly changing pace of tariffs and other issues remain challenges.
“It’s been a whirlwind, to say the least,” Seroka said, “and I’m not sure there are calm winds ahead just yet.”
He also characterized the past six months in the industry as “a roller coaster.”
U.S. Customs and Border Protection remains in place as an essential government service, he said, but some non-essential workers have been impacted.
“They stay focused no matter what,” said Seroka’s guest, Richard DiNucci, senior international trade advisor for the law firm Venable LLP, who has a long background working with the CBP agency. “Some of those folks have been negatively impacted, some were probably sent home for a while.”
But the nation’s transportation hubs, including the ports, continue operating, he said.
Tariffs, meanwhile, continue creating a rapidly changing and uncertain environment, Seroka said. Cranes and other shoreside equipment will be hit with new 100% tariffs being imposed on China this week, he added.
The environment, DiNucci said, requires flexibility and all sections of the supply chain “have to adapt very quickly.”
Asked about plans to raise the height of the Vincent Thomas Bridge, Seroka said discussions continue, but it remains unclear whether the timing will work out to combine it with the upcoming road replacement job on the bridge being planned by the California Department of Transportation.
“The timing may not match up perfectly,” he said. “But we will continue to see if there’s a way we can weave these things together.”
Some 40% of the port’s cargo terminal capacity lies north of the bridge, which currently sits too low for the newer, cleaner and much larger cargo ships to pass under, Seroka said.
As for the look ahead in cargo numbers, Seroka anticipates things to slow down now that the peak shipping season is over amid a rush to bring as much cargo in earlier this year before tariffs hit.
“The month of September saw a little softening,” Seroka said, adding that the forecast for the last quarter anticipates lower import volumes. “It’s been a topsy-turvy year.”
Cargo flow for the month of September, Seroka said, was down 7.5% from the same month in 2024, but the port still processed 883,053 twenty-foot equivalent units — helping POLA to its best quarter on record.
“As trade policy unfolds, we can only predict more unpredictability,” Seroka said. “When sweeping changes were first announced, importers abruptly stopped their orders from China. When those policies were softened and deadlines extended, cargo volume picked up again. The supply chain has been on a roller coaster all year and that ride continues.”
Loaded imports in September came in at 460,044 TEUs, 7.6% less than last year. Loaded exports landed at 114,693 TEUs, about the same as 2024. The port also handled 308,317 empty container units, 10% less than last year.
The port closed out the third quarter moving 2.9 million TEUs, its best three-month quarter ever. Nine months into 2025, the Port of Los Angeles has handled 7,817,057 TEUs, 3% more than the same period in 2024.
